


The Best Friend

by realityisoverrated



Series: Infinite Love [125]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Mild Angst, Polyamory, Polyfidelity, Toliver, flommy, olicity - Freeform, smoaking billioanires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-12-05 11:16:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11576964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/realityisoverrated/pseuds/realityisoverrated
Summary: Tommy is having Oliver, Diggle and Roy over to watch the game. It's the first time he's seeing Diggle since Oliver revealed their relationship. Tommy might have gone a bit overboard with the menu.





	The Best Friend

**Author's Note:**

> This story depicts a polyamorous relationship between one woman and two men. If this is not something you are interested in, please stop and go no further. 
> 
> A small installment for SDCC weekend. I'm sure most of you are awaiting news of season 6 and the promised trailer.
> 
> This installment is 21/125. The installment list has grown too long for the notes section. You can now find the chronological list for the series, with hyperlinks, at http://archiveofourown.org/works/11051019
> 
> If you are new to the series, welcome.
> 
> Arrow and its characters do not belong to me.

Artwork by Lademonessa

 

“Hey,” Tommy said to Oliver without looking up from the crudité platter he was arranging.

Oliver placed two six packs onto the counter, “What the hell happened in here?”

“What?” Tommy lifted his head to survey his kitchen. He didn’t think he could explain to his boyfriend what had happened.

“Only John and Roy are coming over,” Oliver gestured at their counters, “and there’s enough food here to serve an army.”

When Tommy got up that morning, he’d had a plan. He was going to throw something in the slow cooker, straighten up the apartment, and work a little on his plans to rebuild CNRI. Unfortunately, he hadn’t stuck to his plans. He had to admit to himself that he might’ve gone a bit overboard. “I wanted to make sure there was enough food.”

“I thought you decided on pulled pork before we went to sleep last night,” Oliver lifted the lid to the slow cooker and took a taste.

“Well, I did, but then I thought, maybe not everyone would want pork, so I decided to make the poached chicken salad you like – but then I thought, not everyone eats mayonnaise, so I thought – brisket – but then I thought someone might want something lighter, so I grilled some salmon to serve with a salad,” Tommy explained as he pointed to each dish. “I made a few appetizers too,” he said as an aside as he gestured towards the chips, dip, guacamole, cheese, crackers, olives and veggie tray. He ran his hands over his head, “They’re not going to want to eat any of this, are they?”

“Hey,” Oliver’s hand gripped Tommy’s and stepped into his boyfriend, “hey, this is great.”

“Are you sure?” Tommy eyed the counter. “I can make something else.”

Oliver redirected Tommy’s gaze with a finger under his chin. When Tommy’s eyes finally landed on his, he smiled, “What’s going on? Talk to me.”

Tommy definitely didn’t want to tell Oliver that he was possibly going over the deep end over having Diggle over. He lowered his eyes, “Nothing. Nothing is going on.”

Oliver lifted a lone eyebrow, “Is this something you do now?”

“Do what now?”

“Panic attack cooking?”

Tommy took a shaky breath, “I’m not having a panic attack.” He wasn’t. It was more mild anxiety with a side of paranoia, but Oliver didn’t need to know that.

Oliver tilted his head, “Buddy, I was there when you rearranged your closet by color and fabric before your first date with Beth Miller.”

Tommy’s eyes drifted towards his bedroom and Oliver sighed, “You didn’t?”

“I’ve been home alone for thirteen hours,” Tommy said as way of explanation. “I only did my clothes – and your suits – and maybe your shirts – and your ties – and Felicity’s shoes.”

When Tommy was a child, Malcolm had taught him the value of a tidy home. He never knew when an errant sneaker or a misplaced toy would result in a slap. Tommy had developed a bit of an obsession with keeping his childhood bedroom clean. Organizing his closet allowed him to hide in his room and avoid his dad. He’d also found it calming – he still did.

“Tommy,” Oliver dropped his forehead to his boyfriend’s, “talk to me.”

Tommy played with a button on Oliver’s shirt, “If my hands are busy, I don’t think obsessively.”

“It’s just John and Roy,” Oliver reminded him. “They’ve been over lots of times.”

“I know it’s silly, but I want John to like me,” Tommy confessed.

“John does like you,” Oliver said.

Tommy snorted, “He tolerates me because of you and Felicity.”

“That’s not true,” Oliver banded his arms around Tommy’s back. “He does like you.”

“It’s just that,” Tommy looked over Oliver’s shoulder not wanting to admit to his own fears, “I haven’t seen John since he found out about us and – what if he doesn’t think I’m good enough for you and Felicity?”

Oliver laughed, but the smile fell from his face once he realized Tommy wasn’t laughing, “Oh, you’re serious.”

Tommy stepped out of Oliver’s arms, “Yeah, I’m serious. He’s your best friend. You value his opinion.”

Oliver’s eyes went wide in disbelief, “Okay, first, John doesn’t think either of us are good enough for Felicity. I don’t think there’s a man alive John thinks is good enough for our girl.”

A small smile turned up Tommy’s lip, “That’s true, but not what I mean.”

“You’re going to need to tell me,” Oliver leaned against the sink.

“Rachel Ivers,” Tommy stated.

Oliver narrowed his eyes, “What about her?”

“You broke up with her in the ninth grade because I told you that I didn’t like her,” Tommy said. Rachel Ivers had been the most popular girl in their grade until her family relocated at the end of ninth grade. Laurel had quickly succeeded her in both popularity and in Oliver’s heart.

“We were fourteen and she made fun of you – she was mean to you – of course I broke up with her,” Oliver folded his arms across his chest. “I’m still not following you.”

Tommy looked at his feet, “What if John tells you that he doesn’t like me?”

Oliver hung his head and held his forehead. His shoulders began to shake.

“Are you laughing at me?” Tommy asked with mild outrage.

Oliver lifted his head, “Are you honestly telling me that you believe that I will break up with you if John tells me you’re mean? Have you been calling him names behind my back?”

“No, of course not. I’m never mean – but – I’m not like you or John. I’m not tough or strong or brave,” Tommy explained “I don’t have anything in common with John except you and Felicity. What if he tells you that you can do better?”

The smile fell from Oliver’s face and he pushed off the sink. He began to advance on Tommy, “First, you are and have always been my best friend. Second, you are the strongest and bravest person I have ever known. There is nothing that John, or anyone else, could ever say about you that would make me feel any different about you. I love you.”

“I want him to like me,” Tommy said plaintively.

“Everyone likes you,” Oliver said gently. “Do you know how hard it was growing up and always being compared to you? Tommy’s so nice. Tommy’s so funny.”

“Yeah, all those traits got me relegated to the friend zone by almost every girl we went to school with. They wanted to be my friend, but they wanted to fuck you.”

Oliver arched a brow, “I want to fuck you.”

Tommy could feel his cheeks turning red and he smiled shyly, “I guess, that’s true.”

“You and John have a lot in common – I think that’s why John and I are friends. You’re both loyal. You both love the Rockets. You both love music and art. You both love giving me a hard time and telling me what an idiot I am.”

“Thank you,” Tommy hugged Oliver.

“You never have to thank me,” Oliver rubbed his nose against Tommy’s before he kissed him.

The doorbell rang and Tommy smiled at Oliver’s concerned look, “I’m fine. I’ve got myself together. I promise not to cook anything while you answer the door.”

Oliver kissed Tommy again, “Relax. We’re going to have a good time.”

Tommy washed his hands and willed himself to relax.

Roy and John followed Oliver into the kitchen.

“Hey, boss,” Roy waved his hand as he passed Tommy on his way to the food. “You make this or did Felicity help?”

“You can relax, Felicity didn’t help,” Tommy told Roy.

Roy grabbed a plate and began to pile it with food, “Everything looks great.”

“Doesn’t Thea feed you?” Oliver teased.

“Whatever gene you guys have that makes you good cooks didn’t come from Moira or Malcolm.” Roy opened the slow cooker, “Wow, this smells awesome.”

“Hey, Tommy,” Dig handed Tommy a six pack. “Roy’s right. This is quite the spread.”

“When the Rockets beat the Knights, we should have ourselves a celebration.” Tommy placed the beer on the counter, “Would you like a beer? Or there’s wine. I have iced tea too. Sparkling water.” Oliver placed a hand on Tommy’s shoulder, stopping him from listing every beverage in his fridge.

“I’ll take a beer,” Roy reached over and grabbed a bottle.

“It’s like you were raised by wolves,” Tommy quipped.

Roy rolled his eyes, “Your sister doesn’t mind my manners.”

Tommy sighed, “Your body is small enough to stuff into the trunk of my car and I know how to operate a boat. It would be easy to make you disappear.”

Roy held his beer out towards Tommy and smiled. He took his food and beer into the living room, “I’m turning the tv on.”

Dig took the beer Oliver offered, and he smiled, “Thanks, man. Tommy’s still not a fan of Roy’s?”

“Ollie’s lucky he was shipwrecked,” Tommy said as he opened a beer, “he didn’t have to witness the parade of boys trying to date our sister. I’m surprised I didn’t take up archery to shoot her dates.”

Dig chuckled, “Thea seems like she would’ve enjoyed torturing you.”

“You have no idea. I swear, some of the guys she only dated to drive me crazy,” Tommy took a sip of his beer.

Roy looked over his shoulder, “Like who?”

Oliver and Dig both laughed.

“Like you,” Tommy said. “You might be the worst of them.”

“I’m not the worst,” Roy grumbled. “Who was that idiot she was dating when she met me?”

“Shane,” Oliver and Tommy sneered at the same time.

“Did you shoot him with an arrow?” Dig teased Oliver.

“I exercised restraint,” Oliver answered sullenly.

“That little shit was lucky I didn’t back over him with my car,” Tommy muttered. “I’m actually surprised you didn’t kill him when you found him in Thea’s room. I think I would’ve tossed him from the window.”

“Like I said, I exercised restraint,” Oliver said through gritted teeth.

“I wish you showed some restraint around me,” Roy mumbled.

“I didn’t shoot you for dating Thea. I shot you for not doing what I told you,” Oliver explained.

“If I’d shot you, it would’ve been for dating Thea,” Tommy said with a huge grin.

Roy rolled his eyes and disappeared into the bathroom.

“Until Felicity, I never understood that big brother cave man thing. Now, I totally get it,” Dig said with a straight face.

“You want to shoot us?” Oliver asked with a grin.

“Let’s just say, I’m exercising restraint,” Dig winked.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Kudos and comments are always welcomed and appreciated. Hearing from you is my favorite part of the day.
> 
> Prompt requests are encouraged.
> 
> You can also come say hi to me on tumblr. http://realityisoverrated-fic.tumblr.com


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